The Return Ritual

The Return Ritual” is an experimental short film and visual poem that chronicles a sacred act of self-reclamation through the symbolic gesture of shaving one’s head. Written, directed, and performed by Mame Anta, the piece is a meditation on healing, ancestral memory, and spiritual liberation. As layers of hair fall, layers of identity are released — revealing a return to essence, to truth, to home. With its intimate tone, lyrical voiceover, and ritualistic visuals, the film invites viewers into a deeply personal yet universally resonant journey of becoming. Created as both an offering and a testimony, “The Return Ritual” honors those quietly healing and stepping into their true power.

  • Mame Anta Wade
    Director
  • Mame Anta Wade
    Writer
  • Mame Anta Wade
    Producer
  • Mame Anta Wade
    Key Cast
    "Mame Anta Wade"
  • Project Type:
    Experimental
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 52 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 10, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    France
  • Country of Filming:
    France
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    50mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Mame Anta Wade

Mame Anta Wade is a Senegalese-born filmmaker, creative director, and multidisciplinary artist whose work lives at the intersection of visual storytelling, self-expression, and spiritual reclamation. Raised in the village of Niague near Lac Rose, Mame Anta’s journey has taken her from the quiet shores of Senegal to international runways and editorial pages — working with agencies like Wilhelmina New York and Ford Models Barcelona.

Her creative voice is shaped by a love for image-making, performance, and the power of intentional beauty. With a background in art direction across fashion and entertainment, Mame Anta weaves personal narrative with ancestral memory, often exploring themes of transformation, identity, and feminine energy.

The Return Ritual, her directorial debut, is a visual poem and intimate act of becoming — a film that marks her transition from muse to maker, from performer to storyteller. Through her work, Mame Anta invites viewers into a deeper reflection of self, rooted in truth, spirit, and the journey home.

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Director Statement

The Return Ritual” is more than a film — it is a sacred manifestation of my journey back to self. Rooted in the rich tapestry of my Senegalese heritage and shaped by my experiences in the global fashion industry, this project holds space for the delicate dance between how we are seen and who we truly are.

Shaving my head was never merely an aesthetic decision. It was a spiritual offering — a shedding of societal expectations, ego, and illusion, so I could stand bare, grounded, and honest in my own essence. It was a return to my roots, to my feminine energy, to Spirit.

Through this piece, I invite viewers into an intimate ritual — one of vulnerability, transformation, and reclamation. A visual prayer for those quietly healing, courageously awakening, and remembering the truth of who they are. “The Return Ritual” is for them. For us. For anyone ready to meet themselves again — fully, vulnerably, powerfully.